The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for maintaining accountability of surgical sponges during an operating procedure and for effectively retaining the sponges for disposal subsequent to the operating procedure.
During the course of an operating procedure numerous sponges, which can be gauze like pads, are utilized to absorb blood resulting from the surgical wound to maintain suitable conditions in the wound for the operation. Such sponges are of significant importance to the operating procedure but it is equally important that all such sponges be removed by the end of the procedure.
Procedures have been adopted for the counting of the number of sponges present at the beginning of the operating procedure and confirming the count at the end of the procedure in order to assure that no sponges have been left in the operating wound. One apparatus and procedure for accomplishing the objective is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,237 wherein a bag arrangement is provided so that the sponges can be located in pockets provided in the device which is hung on a scale for both visual and weight accounting of the sponges.
Prior to the use of the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,237 the most common procedure provided for depositing soil sponges in groups on a uniform number of folded towels or sheets layed on a table or the floor of the operating room. The approach consummed considerable space and allowed dirty sponges to be exposed to the atmosphere of the operating room for long periods of time which could result in bacterial contamination of the atmosphere.
The recognition of significant infectious blood diseases as such acquired immune defficiency syndrome (AIDS) has resulted in even more concern over the open exposure of blood in operating rooms and elsewere.
Device within the scope of U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,237 operated satisfactorily however, the leakage of blood during the preparation of the devices including the sponges for disposal has come to be a problem both because of the increasing occurrence of infectious blood diseases and from the standpoint of the necessity for cleaning the operating room.
No prior art devices known which accomplishes the objective of the restriction of the lost of blood and to facilitate the cleaning of the operating room.